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Page 58
And now Christian reader, I ask you what you think of miracles, or
�signs and wonders,� as proof of a divine mission, to teach
doctrines novel and innovating, after such clear and unequivocal
language as this, from such high authority? I am sure, that if you
are a sincere lover of truth, you must certainly abandon that ground
as untenable. For, from these direc-tions, the Jews were
commanded these things#. 1. That the Prophet who presumes to
speak a word, as from God, which God hath not commanded him
to speak, must be put to death. 2. That the test, or criterion by
which they are to discern a false prophet from a true one, is this:
not his miracles, but the fulfillment of his words. If what he says
comes to pass, he is a true prophet; if the event foretold does not
take place, he has spoken presump-tuously, and must die the
death. 3. �If any man arise in Israel,� and advise, or teach them to
worship any other besides the Eternal; and in proof of the divinity
of his mission promise a sign, or a wonder, and in fact does bring
to pass the sign or wonder promised, he is nevertheless, not to be
hearkened to; but to be put to death. And these criteria given by
God, or Moses, as the means whereby they might know a true
Prophet from a false one, most exquisitely prove his wisdom and
foresight. For if he had not expressly excluded miracles, or �signs
and wonders,� from being proof of the divinity of doctrines, the
barriers which divided his religion from those of idolaters, must
have been broken down; since, as we have seen, well attested
miracles (meaning always by miracles, �signs and wonders,�
brought to pass by human agency,) are related to have been
performed in proof of the divinity of every religion under Heaven.
But veritable prophecy is, and can he a proof proper only to a true
Revelation, because none can know what is to come but God, and
those sent by him. Accordingly, we find that the Jewish Prophets
were not acknowledged as such, but on account of their foretelling
the truth, or being supposed to do so.
Thus, it is said, 1 Samuel iii. 20, �And all Israel, from Dan even
to Beersheba, knew, that Samuel was established to be a Prophet
of the Lord.� Why? Because he performed miracles? No! he
performed none. But he was known as a Prophet because �the
Lord was with him, and let none of his words fall to the ground,� i.
e. fail of their accomplishment. The same, may be said of all the
Hebrew Prophets, from Nathan to Malachi. For though Elijah and
Elisha performed miracles, yet it was not in proof of their mission,
for that was established before; but these miracles were occasional
acts of beneficence, or protection, but were never considered, or
offered by them as proofs of their being sent from God.
These things being by this time, it is hoped, made plain and
evident, let us now test the character of Jesus as a true Prophet, by
the criteria, by Christians, and by the Jews, believed to be given by
God. If his prophecies were fulfilled, and if he taught the worship
of no other being besides the Eternal, he was, according to the Old
Testament, a true Prophet. But if any of his prophecies were not
fulfilled, or, if he taught the worship of any other Being besides the
Eternal, he was not a true Prophet.
And here it must be recollected, that those prophecies of Jesus
only, can be brought forward in this question, which were
committed to writing, before the event foretold came to pass; and
therefore all Jesus� prophecies concerning the manner and
circumstances of his death, &c., must be set aside, as all those
events are allowed to have taken place before any of the Gospels
were written; and of course it is not certain that Jesus did actually
foretell them. This is acknowledged by Christians; and accordingly
they confine themselves to bringing forward as conclusive
evidence in their favour, his Prophecy of the Destruction of
Jerusalem, and the events following. Here it is. Luke xxi. 21.
�When ye shall see Jerusalem com-passed with armies, then
know, that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are
in Judea flee to the mountains, and let them which are in the midst
of it, depart out, and let not them which are in the counter, enter
thereinto. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which
are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them that are with child,
and to them which give suck in those days. For there shall be great
distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall
by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all
nations, and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until
the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. And there shall be signs in
the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars, and upon the earth
distress of nations with perplexity, the sea and waves roaring,
man�s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those
things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of the
heavens shall be shaken. And then, shall they see the Son of Man
coming in a cloud, with power, and great glory. And when these
things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads;
for your redemption draweth nigh. And he spake to them a parable,
Behold the fig tree and all the trees. When they now shoot forth, ye
see, and know of your own selves, that summer is now nigh at
hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know
ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you,
this generation shall not pass away till all be fulfilled. Heaven and
earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.�
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